Russian: EU, NATO Attempting to Keep Serbs in Kosovo

Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, in an interview on state-run Vesti-24 television, said that such meddling would lead to undermining security in the Balkans and Europe.

MOSOCOW, Russia (AP) — Russia’s foreign minister claimed that NATO and the EU have been considering using force to keep Serbs from leaving Kosovo following its declaration of independence, according to remarks broadcast Monday.

Sergey Lavrov, in an interview on state-run Vesti-24 television, said that this would lead to undermining security in the Balkans and Europe.

Lavrov suggested that the mission was seeking help from NATO forces to ease its deployment in Serb-populated northern Kosovo and to keep Serbs in the region. “We have information that the EU mission, attempting to deploy in Serb enclaves — and the Serbs do not want this — is trying to draw the NATO forces for Kosovo onto its side,” he said.

He added that “the question of using force to hold back Serbs who do not want to remain under Pristina’s authority … is being seriously discussed.”